Let Her Go
by cosmotellurian
Summary: Well you only need the light when it's burning low. Only miss the sun when it starts to snow. Only know you love her when you let her go. SasuSakuNeji. Oneshot!


A/N: So, okay. This story has been bugging me for a long time now, and I need to write it before it takes over my life and becomes an evil overlord. Sasuke and Neji are a bit OOC here, but yeah. Title and summary comes from Passenger's Let Her Go. Listen to it!

Also, I sort of had a writer's block for Coaching the Lord of Scowls. I'll probably think of something by 11PM hehe. I'll try to update it ASAP. But for the meantime, here's a oneshot.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto.

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**Let Her Go**

The cherry blossom couldn't help but laugh at how cliché everything was. It's a cold winter night in the village of Konoha when she felt the all too familiar presence behind her. It's a presence she'd been with all her life, even when the person who it belonged to wasn't. It's the presence she very much loved when she was young. A presence made by a person she swore in all her fantasy-filled daydream she'd marry and have cute little babies with. A presence that haunted her after she was left in that dreaded bench. A presence that she'd learn to resent when it came back a year ago. Exactly one year, three months, and twenty-eight days, but who's counting, right?

They were civil and that was it. Friends would be too much if used to describe them because she knew they weren't, and that they'll probably never be. And she had been stronger now to admit that they never even became friends. She had always been a stranger to him, and in the course of time, he'd become the same to her.

When he came back in the previous year, she knew that he was devastated. She had learned from the blonde kyubi vessel what had happened to the prodigy; that he successfully killed both that sickening snake mentor of his, and the brother he believed betrayed him; that he found out the truth as to why said brother had done what he had; and that he had returned by the request of said brother.

It was too much for a boy his age to handle. She knew that. And she'd forgiven him – even when he never asked for forgiveness – because she understands. But that doesn't mean things will go back to how they used to be.

A simple nod of the head was all the man received from his ex-teammate when they met on the Hokage tower for the first time in seven years – excluding those meetings wherein he'd tried to kill her. Both just stared briefly at each other. Not a smile, let alone a hug were given. Just a nod as she tried to ignore the fact that their other ex-teammate was bouncing excitedly at the raven-haired man.

He was definitely a man now.

The pinkette, in that brief eye contact had observed how tall he'd gotten, and how his muscles were toned into perfect shape. His facial features became more prominent as it lost the little baby fats he had as a child. He was beautiful. More handsome than he'd been years ago. But it didn't matter to her anymore as much as it did. No, not this time.

She also saw how he's changed just a tad bit in the way he interacted with his best friend. He had somehow become… _softer. _She was happy for them, don't get her wrong. She knew how much the man meant to the blonde. And it that moment of tenderness from the man, she also knew what the blonde meant to him.

What she didn't know is that the blonde also knew how much his best friend meant to her – even if she couldn't bring herself to admit it.

Naruto may be an idiot in the eyes of many people. But he was only an idiot because he can do things they couldn't. And right now, he was able to see what was wrong with both his friends even when other people thought they were okay. He could only do so much for the two people he treasured most though. Because now, he knew the truth of the matter was not on his hands.

"Sakura-chan, why don't you give Teme the chance?" he tried to ask once.

"I don't know what you're talking about Naruto." And that was the answer he got.

But she does. She knows Sasuke had feelings for her. She knew because he had told – no, _confessed _to her. And had she been the same love-struck fangirl she was eons ago, she would've jumped at the opportunity. But she's a different Sakura now. She wants to believe she'd become wiser. And that's when Naruto tried to just accept whatever they'd decide to do. He never brought up the topic again.

And Sakura was more than grateful for her thoughtful best friend.

So here she was now with Neji, shopping for gifts as Christmas was approaching. She and Neji had grown closer over some time mainly because they shared the same heartbreak. Tenten, had to leave to find the family she never knew. And Neji, well, he was placed in a shelf until she would return. At least he wanted to believe she'd return.

But in her absence, he started to fall for the pink-haired medic who he always came for help. Who wouldn't, really? She was talented, compassionate, and undeniably beautiful. That pastel hair and striking emerald eyes crept up on him. He tried to suppress the feeling – thinking it was merely an infatuation that will become a hindrance to both of them. He knew who held her heart, and he knew he himself hasn't moved on yet. But fate was quite mischievous. They seem to meet up quite often, and soon after, they decided to give each other a chance at love.

It was strange really. Their relationship started off unusually, but she learned to appreciate him. Neji was a responsible man, gentle and quite charming. He was every woman's dream. He gave her a familiarity that was kind and without malice. She promised to be enough for him, and he promised the same to her, entirely aware of each other's incompleteness.

Now, their shopping was cut short when _the _presence came. Sakura was the first to stiffen, and this stopped Neji from entering the next store. That's when he felt it, too.

"Do you –" he was about to ask, and his pink-haired companion nodded before he could finish his sentence.

There was a moment of hesitation before Neji spoke again. "I'll wait for you inside." He squeezed her hand and kissed her cheek before stepping into the confines of the store.

When he got in, the pinkette turned around and met with obsidian eyes. They stood on the pavement along the busy street. No one seemed to pay them any attention.

"Hello." She greeted, trying to be polite.

"Since when?" he started, not bothering to return the gesture of politeness.

"I'm sorry?" she asked, a little confused.

"Do you love him Sakura?" she was taken aback by his question. She tried to look him directly in his eyes before she answered.

"Of course, I love him." It wasn't a complete lie. She really did learn to love Neji.

"Why?" he asked, not letting the topic go.

"What do you mean why? He's my boyfriend. He's… there for me when no one else was." And it was true. She and Neji would be there for the other to lean on.

"Does he love you back?" She knew she doesn't have the whole of Neji's heart, but it never bothered her because Neji never had the whole of her heart, too. It was an unspoken understanding between the two lovers.

"Yes, he does."

"Hn."

"What's your problem, Sasuke?" She was getting angry. He was confusing her, and she didn't want him to have that power again.

To her complete and utter shock, a tear rolled on the last Uchiha's flawless face as his eyes were cast downward.

She couldn't believe her eyes. He was _crying_. In front of _her_.

"You really want to know Sakura?" She could only stare speechless when he raised his gaze to look at her.

"Me. I'm the problem. A problem's all I've ever been." He continued as silent tears kept coming. "It hurts me, Sakura. It hurts me when I know it shouldn't because _I _chose this. I chose to leave you. And I wish I didn't care. I wish it didn't bother me every time I see you with the Hyuga boy, but it did. I know I'm a horrible person, Sakura. Because even after everything I've done, I want you to take me back. Take me back, Sakura."

The cherry blossom could only gape at the man before her. It was the most he'd ever said to her. Even more than when he first told her of his feelings. And she was scared. She cried for weeks when he left, and he doing that again would break her immensely especially if she let go of Neji now.

"I love Neji." She repeated, trying to convince herself more than him.

Sasuke stared at her, and she wished he knew what he was thinking. "I know." He whispered. "And I'd be lying if I told you I haven't seen it in your eyes."

"He loves me, too, Sasuke." She began, tears forming in her eyes as well. "He loves me, even when he knows that I have nothing left to offer to him." She paused, contemplating on her next words. "I gave you _everything_, and I was left with nothing to give to him, but he _loves _me. You, Sasuke – you chose to break my heart."

And with that, she wiped the tears that escaped her honeydew colored eyes, turned around, and entered the store.

"Why did you do that?" Neji witnessed everything. He held the crying pinkette in her arms, not minding the stares being given to them by the other customers. Of course, he knew Sakura wouldn't accept Uchiha so easily, but he never expected that she'd walk away from him permanently.

"I'm sorry, Neji." She whispered between sobs. "I'm so sorry."

Neji knew why she was apologizing. She loves Sasuke Uchiha despite everything she said to him just now. She loves him, and in time, he knew she'd return to him. She belonged to the Uchiha. And he will never be able to take her heart from him.

"Sakura," he tried to reason.

"No. Neji, please. Don't leave me." The Hyuga tightened his arms around her at her words.

"I will never leave you, love. I'll be here, with or without him."

"I don't want to be unfair to you."

"I'm doing this because I love you, Sakura. But we both know that I'm not strong enough for the both of us. You have to let go."

She looked up at him, and she surprised herself when she thought of onyx eyes.

"Now, go tell him."

He looked down at her, dipped his head and kissed her vermilion lips for the last time.

"We both know to whom we really belong."

So she ran. She pushed her feet as hard as she could to catch up with him. She looked for him in every corner, and found that her heart picked up its pace whenever she wouldn't see him.

"Sasuke, where are you." She was crying. She had to find him. He had to know.

Her feet brought her to the all too familiar bridge where Team 7 would always meet up. And he was there. Staring aimlessly at the river below the bridge.

At the sound of her light footsteps, he turned. She walked to him. And he waited – just as she had waited for him in all those years.

She encircled his arms around his torso, her head rested on his chest. She was soaking his shirt with her tears, but he didn't mind. Because right now, he was holding the love of his life.

"I know I should be leaving you right now. But we both know that I'm not that strong."

And he'd never let her go.

xx


End file.
